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Interview Advice


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I got an invitation to interview at Northeastern PA program Sept 15th. I have never been to an interview and this is my number one school so I am looking for any and all advice on what to expect and how I should prepare? I need the do's and don'ts of proper interview etiquette. Any advice would be greatly appreciated because I am so nervous.  Thank you so much :)

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Do your homework! Be the most educated applicant on Northeastern's PA program. Don't just go to their website; check them out on Facebook, Google, and YouTube. You will find a gold mine of information on these sources.

Prepare for the interview questions; especially "Why do you want to become a PA?" and "Tell us about yourself." 

Wear a suit, shine your shoes, bring a small mirror to check your face and teeth before entering the interview! Don't drink alcohol the night before. Don't smoke! Make good eye contact at all times. Smile. Use open gestures. Be real. Be honest. Relax and be yourself. 

Finally, infuse as many qualities into your answers as possible. On the media sites listed above, try to find out what NE really values in applicants and what qualities they're looking for in accepted students. Infuse those qualities into your answers. Let them know you are a perfect "fit" for what they're looking for.

Best of luck

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The school I interviewed at told me that they did behavioral questions, so I googled some common questions and made sure I had some answers ready. I knew they would still ask me questions I hadn't prepared for, but I tried to have a good general pool of experiences that I wanted to draw from and thought it was important for them to know about me. I practiced answering them out loud a couple times (just to make sure I didn't completely fumble over my words) but beyond this I made sure not to practice too much because it really is important to be candid and not rehearsed. I knew that things would flow differently when I was face to face with them and I was more than okay with that. I know everyone says this but it truly is important to just be yourself and be sincere. I didn't have any crazy or exceptionally difficult experiences, but I'm not good whatsoever at BS'ing and I really think they could sense this. If you know who you're interviewing with, do your research on them. After I finished answering my questions I had a fair amount of time to ask them questions. I asked each interviewer a question specific to their background and then I asked all of them why they chose to go into academics. They all had unique and interesting reasons and it really helps you to get to know them and their motivations. And they love talking about it lol. Good luck and enjoy!! It really is a great experience.

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Under the "Past/Featured" posts in this Pre-PA forum are 681 bits of advice (as of this minute) for people in your shoes. These are posted under the topic "Interview Advice" so it should be easy to find.

Be calm, be friendly, and know why you are doing this.

Good luck!

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